Books

Paula Deen must l-o-o-o-ve holidays. In her new cookbook, Paula Deen Celebrates! Best Dishes and Best Wishes for the Best Times of Your Life (Simon & Schuster, $26), she dreams up menus for some holidays that aren't even on most official calendars.

NATALIE CAUDILL/DMN

If it's Christmas, this must be Twice-Baked Potato Casserole.

Take Elvis Presley's birthday, which is Jan. 8. The main dish here is Country-Fried Steak With Gravy, White Rice, Country Cabbage and Buttermilk Biscuits. Dessert is, of course, good ol' Nanner Puddin'. And as a bonus, Paula throws in a recipe for the King's fave, a Fried Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich.

How many of us whip up a special meal for Presidents Day? Paula does, but mostly her menu featuring Oyster-Stuffed Quail is just a good excuse to celebrate her friendship with former president and fellow Southern-food fan Jimmy Carter, who has twice been a guest on her Food Network cooking show.

St. Patrick's with Paula brings us Irish Lamb Stew, Parmesan Scones and Green Grits Pie ("a taste very similar to chess pie"). This meal is served with a side dish consisting entirely of two cans of LeSueur peas, half a stick of melted butter, and salt and pepper. "Don't laugh," Paula writes: "My family loves these as much as anything fresh I make."

Paula's Twice-Baked Potato Casserole is part of her Christmas dinner menu, which starts with a beef main course. "There just isn't any better combination than meat and potatoes," Paula writes. "This is such a great dish because you can make it the day ahead, and you've still got that delicious flavor of baked potatoes."

E-mail jharris@dallasnews.com

TWICE-BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE

Preheat oven to 350 F. Pierce potatoes and place on baking pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until very soft.

Peel and mash potatoes in large bowl with potato masher or back of fork. Add cream cheese, butter, sour cream and 1 cup of cheddar. Stir well. Add garlic, salt and pepper, and stir again.

Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place potato mixture in dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate casserole until ready to bake.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F, remove plastic wrap and bake casserole 30 to 35 minutes until hot. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheddar over casserole and return to oven for about 5 minutes, until cheese melts. Garnish with chopped chives and crumbled bacon before serving. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

PER SERVING:

Calories

Fat 30 g (18 g sat)

Cholesterol 81 mg

Sodium

Carbohydrates 36 g Protein 11 g